Yesterday evening, three of the senators-elect seeking the president of the 10th Senate, scheduled for inauguration in June 2023, resigned in favor of Senator Godswill Akpabio, one of the leading candidates for the position.
The trio, which included former Senate Leader Ali Ndume, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee Jubrin Barau, and outgoing Governor of Ebonyi State Dave Umahi, gave up their ambition after a two-hour closed-door meeting with re-elected Senators from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Ebonyi State Governor's Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja.
After the meeting, they told the media that a consensus candidate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, a former governor of the state of Akwa Ibom, had been chosen for both the sake of peace and the good of the country.
According to Ndume, “We have all deferred to our brother to fly the flag of the APC as Senate President of the 10th National Assembly. We know he has the capacity to lead the Red Chamber of the federal legislature.”
Reporters were also informed that Barau would be introduced as the Deputy President of the upcoming National Assembly at the meeting.
In his remarks, Akpabio expressed gratitude to his colleagues for their trust in him and pledged not to let them down in his efforts to advance the National Assembly.
At the Frazier Suites in Abuja, Akpabio and his group met with additional new APC senators.
At the time this report was filed, Akpabio was scheduled to brief the meeting on his candidacy and his colleagues' decision to collaborate with him.
